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Lingua Franca
A marketer learns the limitations of language in this “hilarious” and thought-provoking satire ( Flux Magazine ).
Miles Platting is pulled from the ruins of a shipwreck into a hospital in which no one will speak to him. The founder of Lingua Franca—a naming rights agency committed to renaming every UK town after a corporate sponsor—Miles is desperate to recount the story of his quest for linguistic supremacy to anyone who’ll listen.
Confined to his bed in a deathly quiet ward, Miles seeks to find his colleagues and reunite with his true love. But in doing so, he must confront his most deeply held convictions and consider the question of what’s in a name in a world where the spoken word has been replaced with silence.
Miles Platting is pulled from the ruins of a shipwreck into a hospital in which no one will speak to him. The founder of Lingua Franca—a naming rights agency committed to renaming every UK town after a corporate sponsor—Miles is desperate to recount the story of his quest for linguistic supremacy to anyone who’ll listen.
Confined to his bed in a deathly quiet ward, Miles seeks to find his colleagues and reunite with his true love. But in doing so, he must confront his most deeply held convictions and consider the question of what’s in a name in a world where the spoken word has been replaced with silence.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 16, 2016
4 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
About the author
William Thacker
16 books10 followersAuthor and Scriptwriter William Thacker was born in London in 1986. He is a graduate of Lancaster University (English Literature with Creative Writing BA) and the University of Manchester (Creative Writing MA).
William is a young scriptwriter and author based in London, who is currently developing a feature film script alongside the Oscar-nominated director Mark Gill. In 2013 William co-wrote his first short film Full Time, which has been screened at film festivals in the UK and internationally.
William is a young scriptwriter and author based in London, who is currently developing a feature film script alongside the Oscar-nominated director Mark Gill. In 2013 William co-wrote his first short film Full Time, which has been screened at film festivals in the UK and internationally.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 30, 2017
With thanks to Legend Press for the opportunity to read this unusual book.
I was tickled by the basic idea of this book - regeneration funds provided by corporations in return for a town being renamed with its benefactor’s name - and there is plenty of scope for the author’s wit and invention to shine through. Some residents love the idea, some hate it - which town is going to be renamed Marmite? There is a limit, though, to where the idea can go from there and that limit is reached rather quickly. The people rebel.
'It's great to have cash in the bank, but no one lies on their deathbed and remembers all the debt they paid off.'
There starts to be a lot of discussion about abuse of language but I can’t see how that is happening. No-one is being required in Stella Artois (previously Milton Keynes) to ask for a tankard of lager when they want a cup of tea. Abuse of tradition and history, of course, but abuse of language? Maybe I’m missing something. So my verdict is good idea, thought-provoking, enthusiastic delivery but not enough for a novel really. I won’t forget it, though, and that is praise enough for 3 stars.
I was tickled by the basic idea of this book - regeneration funds provided by corporations in return for a town being renamed with its benefactor’s name - and there is plenty of scope for the author’s wit and invention to shine through. Some residents love the idea, some hate it - which town is going to be renamed Marmite? There is a limit, though, to where the idea can go from there and that limit is reached rather quickly. The people rebel.
'It's great to have cash in the bank, but no one lies on their deathbed and remembers all the debt they paid off.'
There starts to be a lot of discussion about abuse of language but I can’t see how that is happening. No-one is being required in Stella Artois (previously Milton Keynes) to ask for a tankard of lager when they want a cup of tea. Abuse of tradition and history, of course, but abuse of language? Maybe I’m missing something. So my verdict is good idea, thought-provoking, enthusiastic delivery but not enough for a novel really. I won’t forget it, though, and that is praise enough for 3 stars.
April 1, 2017
[2,5 stars]
When I stumbled upon this book on Netgalley my initial reaction might have been something like „Oh, a book like this is always a nice idea!“ A book like this meaning: a book about language and meaning and reality and stuff.
Sadly, then, I discovered, that it really was just a book like this and I hardly got the feeling it was a book in its own right. While I liked the idea behind it, at times I wished Mr. Thacker had not decided to make a story out of it, because the story, the characters, the relationship dynamics were what sadly mostly bored me. Nothing seemed memorable, or, for the lack of a better word, original. Ever so often I found myself thinking “ah, so here’s also a character/scene like this”. Without even being able to define this more closely, I just way too often had the feeling of having read everything before. A first person narrator with this detached, concise, unadorned style. This kind of relationship with his (ex)wife who has this bubbling personality which is all too fitting the exact opposite of his; all of those ideological differences which cloud their relationship.
There were interesting passages, though, witty one-liners and other quote-worthy quotes, and, most importantly, ideas I want to think or write more about. As I said above – sometimes I wished this wasn’t a story, and that the author instead had decided to publish, I don’t know, a collection of loosely connected dialogues, aphorisms or scenes and thereby would have let me skip the boring parts in between.
While I could not get invested in the book at the beginning, as it got closer to the end it turned out to be more captivating, but I don’t know if the fact that the last ~ 50 pages finally grabbed my attention counts as a redeeming factor.
I actually feel sorry that I am writing so negatively. It was a well-written book and brought up some interesting thoughts, I just had expected more. In general, I think this book is more fun to talk about than actually read.
All in all I would describe it as a sometimes tiresome but still worthwhile reading experience. The lack of originality and connectability with stories and characters is made up for by the ideas behind it. There were some cute and witty scenes and phrases, so I did not just sit there stony-faced and bored. And, after all – it’s a pretty short book. Arriving at this state of having read instead of reading will not take long and then you are able to think and talk about it.
When I stumbled upon this book on Netgalley my initial reaction might have been something like „Oh, a book like this is always a nice idea!“ A book like this meaning: a book about language and meaning and reality and stuff.
Sadly, then, I discovered, that it really was just a book like this and I hardly got the feeling it was a book in its own right. While I liked the idea behind it, at times I wished Mr. Thacker had not decided to make a story out of it, because the story, the characters, the relationship dynamics were what sadly mostly bored me. Nothing seemed memorable, or, for the lack of a better word, original. Ever so often I found myself thinking “ah, so here’s also a character/scene like this”. Without even being able to define this more closely, I just way too often had the feeling of having read everything before. A first person narrator with this detached, concise, unadorned style. This kind of relationship with his (ex)wife who has this bubbling personality which is all too fitting the exact opposite of his; all of those ideological differences which cloud their relationship.
There were interesting passages, though, witty one-liners and other quote-worthy quotes, and, most importantly, ideas I want to think or write more about. As I said above – sometimes I wished this wasn’t a story, and that the author instead had decided to publish, I don’t know, a collection of loosely connected dialogues, aphorisms or scenes and thereby would have let me skip the boring parts in between.
While I could not get invested in the book at the beginning, as it got closer to the end it turned out to be more captivating, but I don’t know if the fact that the last ~ 50 pages finally grabbed my attention counts as a redeeming factor.
I actually feel sorry that I am writing so negatively. It was a well-written book and brought up some interesting thoughts, I just had expected more. In general, I think this book is more fun to talk about than actually read.
All in all I would describe it as a sometimes tiresome but still worthwhile reading experience. The lack of originality and connectability with stories and characters is made up for by the ideas behind it. There were some cute and witty scenes and phrases, so I did not just sit there stony-faced and bored. And, after all – it’s a pretty short book. Arriving at this state of having read instead of reading will not take long and then you are able to think and talk about it.
did-not-finish
August 22, 2025Had to go for the Kindle sample as I wasn't able to download it before the archive date. I definitely thought it would be a different book and almost immediately wasn't a fan of the writing style. I definitely should be more strict on non-fiction moving on as I rarely ever enjoy it. I hope this was a hit for others, but it was a miss for me.
October 25, 2016
I’ve never heard of William Thacker before, but it appears that he is up-and-coming within the literary world having written screenplays and being the co-writer behind the feature-length Morrissey biopic, Stephen. With that in mind, I was heading into this novel blind with no real understanding of Thacker’s writing style or the types of books he had previously written.
I was in love with Lingua Franca from the first page. Within the first paragraph I was already laughing as the main character talked about the three words he felt should never have been translated into English: moist, phlegm, and flaccid – and I totally agreed with him! There are a lot of witty and humorous moments speckled throughout the novel which I felt gave a lively vibe to the overall narrative of the story which holds a serious underlying message. Thackers’ writing style is simple yet elegant with no indulgence in description, providing the right balance to bring a story that is easy to read and understand.
Lingua Franca is a thought-provoking novel that highlights the importance of the spoken and written word and left me, many times, thinking about the future of the English language and the many changes it has gone through in my lifetime alone: slang, colloquialisms. It truly makes you realise that the words we know today, and the words from our childhood, are no longer – or will no longer be – around. This is a topic that drew me instantly as, being an English Literature student, I am frequently reminded through my lecturers of the futility of language and the many words – in particular those relating to the outdoors and nature – that are falling out of fashion in favour of words such as selfie, celebrity, twirk etc. Though this is the key theme within the novel, there is no feeling of being force fed all of this information or being told that this is something you need to think about. Thacker is outspoken yet, at the same time, subtle about the importance of our language through the companies services of changing town names to those of corporate brands. It is this element of the novel that I found refreshing and new – I couldn’t help but laugh at towns being named after bookstores, cinema chains, and fashion outlets.
The conflict presented due to Miles’ need to control and advance the English language is very well implemented and illustrates that the English language is something that we all have control over, and that no one person can truly eradicate or alter words, it is something done over time. At the beginning of the novel, the silence of other characters seems confusing and left me questioning whether he had some mental illness or the world had spiraled into some weird language apocalypse that he could not control. As Miles’ story is told, it all becomes clear and fits in seamlessly with the flow of the narrative.
Thacker did a brilliant job overall and I’m really impressed by how the novel came across. It was refreshing to see a novel (mainly because I have never read one) that focuses on language and the written word and has left a very good impressions on me upon completion. I will definitely be looking into reading more of Thacker’s work in the near future. A superb and quick read.
I was in love with Lingua Franca from the first page. Within the first paragraph I was already laughing as the main character talked about the three words he felt should never have been translated into English: moist, phlegm, and flaccid – and I totally agreed with him! There are a lot of witty and humorous moments speckled throughout the novel which I felt gave a lively vibe to the overall narrative of the story which holds a serious underlying message. Thackers’ writing style is simple yet elegant with no indulgence in description, providing the right balance to bring a story that is easy to read and understand.
Lingua Franca is a thought-provoking novel that highlights the importance of the spoken and written word and left me, many times, thinking about the future of the English language and the many changes it has gone through in my lifetime alone: slang, colloquialisms. It truly makes you realise that the words we know today, and the words from our childhood, are no longer – or will no longer be – around. This is a topic that drew me instantly as, being an English Literature student, I am frequently reminded through my lecturers of the futility of language and the many words – in particular those relating to the outdoors and nature – that are falling out of fashion in favour of words such as selfie, celebrity, twirk etc. Though this is the key theme within the novel, there is no feeling of being force fed all of this information or being told that this is something you need to think about. Thacker is outspoken yet, at the same time, subtle about the importance of our language through the companies services of changing town names to those of corporate brands. It is this element of the novel that I found refreshing and new – I couldn’t help but laugh at towns being named after bookstores, cinema chains, and fashion outlets.
The conflict presented due to Miles’ need to control and advance the English language is very well implemented and illustrates that the English language is something that we all have control over, and that no one person can truly eradicate or alter words, it is something done over time. At the beginning of the novel, the silence of other characters seems confusing and left me questioning whether he had some mental illness or the world had spiraled into some weird language apocalypse that he could not control. As Miles’ story is told, it all becomes clear and fits in seamlessly with the flow of the narrative.
Thacker did a brilliant job overall and I’m really impressed by how the novel came across. It was refreshing to see a novel (mainly because I have never read one) that focuses on language and the written word and has left a very good impressions on me upon completion. I will definitely be looking into reading more of Thacker’s work in the near future. A superb and quick read.
February 16, 2018
Un ex profesor de Literatura funda una empresa, Lingua Franca, que se dedica al "rebranding" de pequeños pueblos del interior de Inglaterra con el objetivo de darle una nueva vida a esos sitios (y más dinero a sus bolsillos). Es así como un pueblo puede pasar a llamarse, por ejemplo, Stella Artois, y en consecuencia tener su Biblioteca Pública Stella Artois, si estación de tren Stella Artois, la Municipalidad de Stella Artois, etc.
Tras el suicidio de uno de los empleados de Lingua Franca, la resistencia al proyecto, la búsqueda de la preservación del lenguaje y todo lo que implica, se vuelve más álgida y elige como campo de batalla el ex pueblo de Barrow, ahora re-bautizado Birdseye (como una compañía de pescado congelado).
Hasta dónde puede llegar el Marketing?
Hasta dónde puede llegar nuestro lenguaje?
Tras el suicidio de uno de los empleados de Lingua Franca, la resistencia al proyecto, la búsqueda de la preservación del lenguaje y todo lo que implica, se vuelve más álgida y elige como campo de batalla el ex pueblo de Barrow, ahora re-bautizado Birdseye (como una compañía de pescado congelado).
Hasta dónde puede llegar el Marketing?
Hasta dónde puede llegar nuestro lenguaje?
September 15, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book! You can find more of my reviews at https://spinesinaline.wordpress.com
As a linguistics student, this book was right up my alley and I definitely enjoyed all the discussion about a language should really be (hint: there's not really a right answer)!
We’re told this story in a series of flashbacks as Miles attempts to make sense of the world he’s woken up in. While the nurses and doctors won’t speak to him, they want him to “tell” his story, write it down on the many pieces of paper they provide him, and so we’re taken back to the beginning with Miles and his dreams for his company, Lingua Franca.
This company help towns out of bankruptcy by pairing them with corporate sponsors and so towns end up with names like Stella Artois, Powerade, and Carphone Warehouse. Yes, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds. The story is funny, more often intentionally absurd and it’s meant to be. They’re naming towns after frozen fish companies, for goodness sake! But it gets you thinking.
Having a corporate sponsor for your town means you’re raised from bankruptcy, you can have a flourishing economy again, fully funded services to help you achieve a healthy population. But does giving up your name contribute to the death of language? The humour is cleverly used here, drawing you in with this laughter while mixing you up in this very complicated debate.
There are a lot of interesting things said about language in this book and I honestly don’t know exactly where I stand in this argument. While you could say that replacing a town’s name removes its history, the pride people feel as citizens, it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before and it’s obviously doing some good in bringing these towns back to life. It’s hard to say which reasoning outweighs the other.
What was surprising, and a little unfortunate, is that the scene we open with is never really explained. Miles was in a shipwreck but how that occurs is left for the reader to speculate, I suppose. I didn’t find it fair that it was left open, not just because of unanswered questions but it felt that the characters themselves found it unimportant. I would think such a catastrophe that could result in many injuries would be treated with a little more compassion.
My issues came more with the ending of the book, though as always no spoilers here. I don’t know that I agreed with how the central argument was realized. It felt a little too easy, too simplified, and very much like one side just gave up without a fight. I’m not saying that I sided with one group more than the other but I don’t think this argument can be clearly segmented into wrong vs. right. There’s a lot at work in these discussions, many complex issues that are actually brought up in the book, so it felt like we lost something with the ends so neatly tied up to finish our story.
As a linguistics student, this book was right up my alley and I definitely enjoyed all the discussion about a language should really be (hint: there's not really a right answer)!
We’re told this story in a series of flashbacks as Miles attempts to make sense of the world he’s woken up in. While the nurses and doctors won’t speak to him, they want him to “tell” his story, write it down on the many pieces of paper they provide him, and so we’re taken back to the beginning with Miles and his dreams for his company, Lingua Franca.
This company help towns out of bankruptcy by pairing them with corporate sponsors and so towns end up with names like Stella Artois, Powerade, and Carphone Warehouse. Yes, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds. The story is funny, more often intentionally absurd and it’s meant to be. They’re naming towns after frozen fish companies, for goodness sake! But it gets you thinking.
Having a corporate sponsor for your town means you’re raised from bankruptcy, you can have a flourishing economy again, fully funded services to help you achieve a healthy population. But does giving up your name contribute to the death of language? The humour is cleverly used here, drawing you in with this laughter while mixing you up in this very complicated debate.
There are a lot of interesting things said about language in this book and I honestly don’t know exactly where I stand in this argument. While you could say that replacing a town’s name removes its history, the pride people feel as citizens, it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before and it’s obviously doing some good in bringing these towns back to life. It’s hard to say which reasoning outweighs the other.
What was surprising, and a little unfortunate, is that the scene we open with is never really explained. Miles was in a shipwreck but how that occurs is left for the reader to speculate, I suppose. I didn’t find it fair that it was left open, not just because of unanswered questions but it felt that the characters themselves found it unimportant. I would think such a catastrophe that could result in many injuries would be treated with a little more compassion.
My issues came more with the ending of the book, though as always no spoilers here. I don’t know that I agreed with how the central argument was realized. It felt a little too easy, too simplified, and very much like one side just gave up without a fight. I’m not saying that I sided with one group more than the other but I don’t think this argument can be clearly segmented into wrong vs. right. There’s a lot at work in these discussions, many complex issues that are actually brought up in the book, so it felt like we lost something with the ends so neatly tied up to finish our story.
November 14, 2020
Upon being rescued from a natural disaster, Miles Platting finds himself in a hospital where silence is compulsory. As someone who co-runs a company which renames towns and cities after brands in order to bring them (and his company) more money and is used to giving speeches in an attempt to win people over, this is problematic. The events leading up to the hospital stay unfold by way of him being encouraged to write down everything he remembers, which gives us a witty, satirical account of the uneasy relationship between tradition, romance and heritage in language and names; and how this is lost or sacrificed in the name of progress, branding and capitalism. Miles's stance is offset by that of his estranged English teacher wife who calls him the destroyer of language. A thought-provoking, observant, wry but also quite funny and lighthearted story.
December 20, 2018
Unusual and entertaining, as read in audiobook form. Overall I never really was into the whole idea behind the premise of the book but if you take it at face value - as you should do with a good satire - it has many entertaining attributes. I think when read aloud a lot of the witty sarcasm and unique use of language came through nicely.
June 3, 2019
Lo descubri de casualidad mientras exploraba una librería. Su título me llamó la atención y su contenido me encantó. Gran idea del autor para hacernos reflexionar sobre la Lengua, sobre su uso y su importancia en nuestras vidas. Súper recomendable!
October 25, 2019
What kind of a world would it be if towns sold the right to name a town to companies? I was intrigued by the premise. But I didn't feel that it delivered all it could have. Was the author implying that a common language is silence?
March 12, 2021
An interesting plot with a predictable twist.
January 5, 2022
got a bit boring and repetitive at times. an interesting high concept pitch but probably would've been more effective as a short story to be honest
July 24, 2024
Disappointing
February 2, 2025
Didn't finish it, I had high hopes that just didn't deliver
June 7, 2016
So much of our daily lives are consumed with the modern obsession for success, money and being seen to have the right brand above all else. These usually come at the cost of tradition, values and our connections with the rest of humanity. Lingua Franca by William Thacker uses a very original premise to discuss precisely these issues.
Miles Platting is the founder and owner of the naming rights agency Lingua Franca. The sole purpose of this organisation is to pair companies with towns and cities in order to rename with the relevant brand (Milton Keynes becomes Stella Artois for example). The novel concentrates on events surrounding the forthcoming change of Barrow-in-Furness to (and here you have to imagine a drumroll) Birdseye-in-Furness. To say that Miles is a distasteful character at the start would be an understatement - there is a total lack of concern or respect for his employees, the towns he is trying to change or their inhabitants. The callousness of the commercialism and disrespect with which Lingua Franca operates made my skin crawl.
The tragic suicide of an employee is the catalyst of change for Miles. Coming as it does just days before the firm is due to travel to Barrow-in-Furness to launch the rebranding, it adds to the isolation he is already feeling courtesy of the the separation from his wife Kendal - and English teacher who abhors what he is doing with his company and, by extension, to the English Language. The company is so hated that a special island compound has to be built for them complete with barriers and bodyguards. The desolate isolation of the place provides the perfect metaphor for the intense loneliness Miles has begun to feel. Events finally come to a climax that sees him hospitalised.
On waking, Miles is not permitted to speak and is treated in complete silence. Communication is only allowed via the written word and it is through this medium that we are given his story as Miles begins to reconnect with the world. This silent campaign aimed at putting an end to Lingua Franca's corruption of the English language is a stroke of genius from the author - as extreme an idea as the company itself.
William Thacker has produced an incredibly thought-provoking novel that makes you question our way of life and how important language and the ability to communicate effectively really are. Would a change of name (and everything that entails) truly change perceptions of a place and therefore improve its prospects and outlook? Are traditions and history still important?
The love of language is apparent in every word of this novel, concise to the point where not a single word is wasted - I thought it was a particularly nice touch at the close to bring in Roman, Middle English, Old Norse and British Sign Language.
I would highly recommend Lingua Franca. Though quite short it really does pack a solid punch.
With thanks to Legend Press for the review copy.
Miles Platting is the founder and owner of the naming rights agency Lingua Franca. The sole purpose of this organisation is to pair companies with towns and cities in order to rename with the relevant brand (Milton Keynes becomes Stella Artois for example). The novel concentrates on events surrounding the forthcoming change of Barrow-in-Furness to (and here you have to imagine a drumroll) Birdseye-in-Furness. To say that Miles is a distasteful character at the start would be an understatement - there is a total lack of concern or respect for his employees, the towns he is trying to change or their inhabitants. The callousness of the commercialism and disrespect with which Lingua Franca operates made my skin crawl.
The tragic suicide of an employee is the catalyst of change for Miles. Coming as it does just days before the firm is due to travel to Barrow-in-Furness to launch the rebranding, it adds to the isolation he is already feeling courtesy of the the separation from his wife Kendal - and English teacher who abhors what he is doing with his company and, by extension, to the English Language. The company is so hated that a special island compound has to be built for them complete with barriers and bodyguards. The desolate isolation of the place provides the perfect metaphor for the intense loneliness Miles has begun to feel. Events finally come to a climax that sees him hospitalised.
On waking, Miles is not permitted to speak and is treated in complete silence. Communication is only allowed via the written word and it is through this medium that we are given his story as Miles begins to reconnect with the world. This silent campaign aimed at putting an end to Lingua Franca's corruption of the English language is a stroke of genius from the author - as extreme an idea as the company itself.
William Thacker has produced an incredibly thought-provoking novel that makes you question our way of life and how important language and the ability to communicate effectively really are. Would a change of name (and everything that entails) truly change perceptions of a place and therefore improve its prospects and outlook? Are traditions and history still important?
The love of language is apparent in every word of this novel, concise to the point where not a single word is wasted - I thought it was a particularly nice touch at the close to bring in Roman, Middle English, Old Norse and British Sign Language.
I would highly recommend Lingua Franca. Though quite short it really does pack a solid punch.
With thanks to Legend Press for the review copy.
May 11, 2016
Lingua Franca is absurdly original. This stunning book uses the power of words to make or break the world of farcical logic. One particular man's world, to be precise.
Determined businessman, Miles Platting, finds himself in a hospital bed where the only treatment he is receiving is silence. While he is grateful for being rescued from the sea, he doesn’t understand why no one is speaking and the only word that is exchanged is the written one. To a man who uses verbal communication to his advantage this current situation is frustrating.
Through the odd note passed between the nurses and Miles, we discover how our survivor came to be in the water in the first place and hope to learn where the rest of his companions are. This is how we begin to understand the significance of Lingua Franca, the brainchild of Miles Platting. He is the co-owner of the company that uses no nonsense pressure selling techniques to convince town councils across the UK that it’s in their best interest to abandon their centuries old native place name and adopt a new one. Their existing name will be replaced by a corporate sponsor’s brand, who in exchange will provide continual investment to rejuvenate their tired town. Simples.
Lingua Franca never stands still. There are targets to meet, quinoa to eat, and cities to be matched with something you can find in your freezer. After an agreement is reached, a ceremony akin to a welcoming committee for an alien invasion allows ‘team Linga Franca’ to descend on the town and christen it by its newly sponsored brand name. Their customer relations’ exercise includes replacing all signage to completely erase the old name, while provoking the locals with their elitist wisdom.
Alas, no matter what 'benefits' they could reap some towns are just not ready to embrace change, unlike Stella Artois, formally known as Milton Keynes, home of Miles and his cat, Ptolemy. Disapproval can range from mild heckling to organised vegetable hurling - and these good people are not alone. Also madly opposed to Lingua Franca’s morals is Kendal, his wife, not the town. She's passionate about English language and can’t comprehend why anyone would want to taint thousands of years of heritage with an advertising gimmick. There are frequent opportunities for some stealthy one-upmanship to support their individual cases throughout the book!
The shallow reasoning for his actions, and the aftershocks from the suicide of his most successful employee, begin to erode Miles’ high ground to reveal the message that perhaps it’s not the UK’s place names that needs to change.
Lingua Franca doesn’t waste a single word, and I highly recommend every one of them.
(My thanks to Lucy Chamberlain of Legend Press for providing a paperback copy of this fascinating book for review.)
Determined businessman, Miles Platting, finds himself in a hospital bed where the only treatment he is receiving is silence. While he is grateful for being rescued from the sea, he doesn’t understand why no one is speaking and the only word that is exchanged is the written one. To a man who uses verbal communication to his advantage this current situation is frustrating.
Through the odd note passed between the nurses and Miles, we discover how our survivor came to be in the water in the first place and hope to learn where the rest of his companions are. This is how we begin to understand the significance of Lingua Franca, the brainchild of Miles Platting. He is the co-owner of the company that uses no nonsense pressure selling techniques to convince town councils across the UK that it’s in their best interest to abandon their centuries old native place name and adopt a new one. Their existing name will be replaced by a corporate sponsor’s brand, who in exchange will provide continual investment to rejuvenate their tired town. Simples.
Lingua Franca never stands still. There are targets to meet, quinoa to eat, and cities to be matched with something you can find in your freezer. After an agreement is reached, a ceremony akin to a welcoming committee for an alien invasion allows ‘team Linga Franca’ to descend on the town and christen it by its newly sponsored brand name. Their customer relations’ exercise includes replacing all signage to completely erase the old name, while provoking the locals with their elitist wisdom.
Alas, no matter what 'benefits' they could reap some towns are just not ready to embrace change, unlike Stella Artois, formally known as Milton Keynes, home of Miles and his cat, Ptolemy. Disapproval can range from mild heckling to organised vegetable hurling - and these good people are not alone. Also madly opposed to Lingua Franca’s morals is Kendal, his wife, not the town. She's passionate about English language and can’t comprehend why anyone would want to taint thousands of years of heritage with an advertising gimmick. There are frequent opportunities for some stealthy one-upmanship to support their individual cases throughout the book!
The shallow reasoning for his actions, and the aftershocks from the suicide of his most successful employee, begin to erode Miles’ high ground to reveal the message that perhaps it’s not the UK’s place names that needs to change.
Lingua Franca doesn’t waste a single word, and I highly recommend every one of them.
(My thanks to Lucy Chamberlain of Legend Press for providing a paperback copy of this fascinating book for review.)
June 8, 2016
This was a short, fun read. Miles is on a quest to have each town in the UK named after a brand that would then pay for each town’s upkeep. A kind of sponsorship, so UK towns don’t fall into disrepair any further . What a fun and crazy and scary idea! Would you like to live in Mothercare (rather than Motherwell) or Birdseye rather than Barrow? Miles only sees the advantages but many people around the country are not so charmed by the idea.
The beginning of the book felt a bit like an episode of The Office, where we see Miles deal with daily office life, trying to keep his salespeople happy and efficient. After a tragedy, and a long conversation with his wife – or possibly ex-wife, the way things are going – Miles starts to have doubts about what he and his company are doing. Still, he goes with the flow and attends the naming ceremony of Barrow-in-Furness (to be renamed Birdseye-in-Furness), where things don’t go so smoothly: the townspeople are strongly opposed to the name change.
Somehow, in an unspecified future time, Miles finds himself in a hospital where no one speaks. What happened, we find out in due course. I should mention that it seems an impossible idea for no one in a hospital to speak – imagine a silent operation! Will the patient survive? Does the surgeon have enough hands to carry out the operation and meanwhile signing to the nurse what instrument she wants next? I’m not sure!
Still, it was a fun read, if rather improbable. It could almost be called a post-apocalyptic story, which is one of my favorite genres.
The beginning of the book felt a bit like an episode of The Office, where we see Miles deal with daily office life, trying to keep his salespeople happy and efficient. After a tragedy, and a long conversation with his wife – or possibly ex-wife, the way things are going – Miles starts to have doubts about what he and his company are doing. Still, he goes with the flow and attends the naming ceremony of Barrow-in-Furness (to be renamed Birdseye-in-Furness), where things don’t go so smoothly: the townspeople are strongly opposed to the name change.
Somehow, in an unspecified future time, Miles finds himself in a hospital where no one speaks. What happened, we find out in due course. I should mention that it seems an impossible idea for no one in a hospital to speak – imagine a silent operation! Will the patient survive? Does the surgeon have enough hands to carry out the operation and meanwhile signing to the nurse what instrument she wants next? I’m not sure!
Still, it was a fun read, if rather improbable. It could almost be called a post-apocalyptic story, which is one of my favorite genres.
May 16, 2016
I loved this book and would highly recommend it to people who enjoy satire and a view of the world in the future, only slightly changed from our own. I thought William Thacker’s writing was fantastic, he painted a clear picture of all the places and people that he described – a bit like our present, but not quite. The characters are well rounded and there are some interesting sub-plots. It is an easy read and unput downable. I thought the plot was amusing, slightly worrying as it could come true and prescient. A time in the future when the big conglomerates can re-name a town if they pay enough money.
The story is about the ‘Lingua Franca’ agency, it assists towns in changing their past identities to something new, shiny and corporate. Most of the plot is about rebranding Barrow in Furnace to Birds Eye. The hope is that the re-branding will re-generate the towns’ fortunes and attract money, coffee chains, chic boutique hotels and designer clothes shops. The people of ‘Birdseye in Furness’ do not like this idea one bit!
The story is narrated by Miles Platting, whose name may accidentally be named after an area of Manchester, or not? As I am from Manchester, it was the only thing that jarred with me a little as I read the book. Miles has sold his soul for greed, but is convinced that the new Lingua Franca rhetoric and name-changes are a fantastic opportunity for any town that’s slightly down at heel……
The story is about the ‘Lingua Franca’ agency, it assists towns in changing their past identities to something new, shiny and corporate. Most of the plot is about rebranding Barrow in Furnace to Birds Eye. The hope is that the re-branding will re-generate the towns’ fortunes and attract money, coffee chains, chic boutique hotels and designer clothes shops. The people of ‘Birdseye in Furness’ do not like this idea one bit!
The story is narrated by Miles Platting, whose name may accidentally be named after an area of Manchester, or not? As I am from Manchester, it was the only thing that jarred with me a little as I read the book. Miles has sold his soul for greed, but is convinced that the new Lingua Franca rhetoric and name-changes are a fantastic opportunity for any town that’s slightly down at heel……
June 4, 2016
A middling three stars from me for a book that has a lot of interesting things in and about it, but didn't quite get the balance right for me. There's certainly mileage in the story of a man running a firm that links towns willing to brand themselves with a new cachet to well-known firms willing to sponsor them in the necessary upgrade (hence Milton Keynes has now been supported by Stella Artois to the extent everything is known after the beer brand, although Croydon has had to make do with Carphone Warehouse). My problem lay with the girlfriend character, who wasn't interesting, was obviously going to be counter to everything fun and entertaining about the above prospect, and who was barking up the wrong tree in what she said about it being a civil liberty abuse of language. I don't see some common nouns as language inter alia – perhaps I should be working for Lingua Franca. As it is, then, what she inspires in the story may well be worth a book in itself, but while it brought some initial mystery to proceedings you found yourself by the halfway mark thinking of skipping pages to be proven right about guessing the plot. A tragedy at work doesn't seem to add much, either. I think there was more social commentary to be had in looking purely at the first concept, and not that and certainly not the girlfriend's doings. Great joke about tarts, however.
April 11, 2021
A rather interesting, well written novel. However, a felt like the narrative had a bit of a downfall by the last chapters. The construction of the character begins quite well and his relationship with his wife, though a bit obvious, provides a good framework for the reader to grasp the character's intentions for quitting his job at the Lingua Franca, the name branding agency that swaps the names of English cities. By the last portion of the story this process is cut-short and the narrator rushes into a disclosure, which, it must be said, is nothing if obvious.
It´s a sympathetic piece of work, and good entertainement. But nothing more.
It´s a sympathetic piece of work, and good entertainement. But nothing more.
April 26, 2016
Welcome to beautiful downtown Qatar Airways, formerly known as Grimsby.
Would it still be home sweet home if you changed its name to Nickelodeon or Powerade? What's in a name, anyway? Would Shakespeare's rose smell as sweet if it were called Kleenex? Explore these and other modern day conundrums in Lingua Franca.
Lingua Franca is a leader in the branding industry--enabling English cities and towns to acquire corporate sponsorship and increase their revenues. The latest campaign takes place in Barrow-in-Furness. In the new revitalized Birdeye, renamed in honor of frozen fish, tourists will flock to the ‘coffee houses, retail outlets and faux American diners.’ Their goal: To franchise and rename every British town under corporate sponsorship. It’s a win-win situation.
But it’s those pesky heritage-huggers who throw a monkey-wrench into the works and things are starting to go pear-shaped. It’s fun, with a bit of pathos and totally genius climax to the branding of Birdseye / Barrow. Expect light hearted fun with a heart of gold.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Would it still be home sweet home if you changed its name to Nickelodeon or Powerade? What's in a name, anyway? Would Shakespeare's rose smell as sweet if it were called Kleenex? Explore these and other modern day conundrums in Lingua Franca.
Lingua Franca is a leader in the branding industry--enabling English cities and towns to acquire corporate sponsorship and increase their revenues. The latest campaign takes place in Barrow-in-Furness. In the new revitalized Birdeye, renamed in honor of frozen fish, tourists will flock to the ‘coffee houses, retail outlets and faux American diners.’ Their goal: To franchise and rename every British town under corporate sponsorship. It’s a win-win situation.
But it’s those pesky heritage-huggers who throw a monkey-wrench into the works and things are starting to go pear-shaped. It’s fun, with a bit of pathos and totally genius climax to the branding of Birdseye / Barrow. Expect light hearted fun with a heart of gold.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 23, 2016
Legend Press seem to publish interestingly different books that really grab the attention and Lingua Franca by William Thacker is certainly of this ilk. When I read the blurb I was not particularly drawn in however ...
As soon as I started reading I was delighted by the writing style and the great use of language which is, in fact, what the book is about; the protagonist, Miles Platting’s, quest for linguistic supremacy. Then, not far into the book, I was hooked!
Miles has established a company, as other reviewers have revealed, which promotes the regeneration of towns and villages by sponsorship from major companies in exchange for which the location changes its name so, for instance, much of the story takes place Birdseye which was previously Barrow in Furness. This, at first, seemed to me far-fetched but after a while I began to think that it is sort of thing that could actually happen!
The story is engrossing as Miles deals with the problems of corporate life and of promoting such an unpopular idea – I’ll say no more!
Ligua Franca is amusing, enthralling and maybe cautionary ~ I thoroughly recommend it.
As soon as I started reading I was delighted by the writing style and the great use of language which is, in fact, what the book is about; the protagonist, Miles Platting’s, quest for linguistic supremacy. Then, not far into the book, I was hooked!
Miles has established a company, as other reviewers have revealed, which promotes the regeneration of towns and villages by sponsorship from major companies in exchange for which the location changes its name so, for instance, much of the story takes place Birdseye which was previously Barrow in Furness. This, at first, seemed to me far-fetched but after a while I began to think that it is sort of thing that could actually happen!
The story is engrossing as Miles deals with the problems of corporate life and of promoting such an unpopular idea – I’ll say no more!
Ligua Franca is amusing, enthralling and maybe cautionary ~ I thoroughly recommend it.
May 2, 2016
William Thacker’s second novel is as engaging and thought-provoking as his first. I read Charm Offensive when it came out and found the story of a politician whose life is turned upside down by a media slur, something that happens all too often, both topical and very human. The same can be said of Lingua Franca. Here Thacker has turned his attention to the hold corporations have over all of us, and in particular to corporate sponsorship. The scenario is all too plausible. Frighteningly so. Lingua Franca is a naming rights agency, selling every UK town to a corporate sponsor and renaming it for that sponsor. Most towns are only too happy to cash in and sell their name for short-term gain – but it may be that changing Barrow-in-Furness into Birdseye-in-Furness is just a step too far. What happens next is a clever, original and insightful exploration of language, greed, corporate power and is both amusing and hard-hitting. Well-written and well-paced, it’s good fun but with a serious undercurrent. Very enjoyable indeed.
May 16, 2016
This is a quirky little tale penned by the impressive William Thacker. The book's hero, Miles Platting, has been involved in a shipwreck and the book opens with him in his hospital bed recounting his life as one of the main protagonists in a company which works to change the name of various towns and cities in the UK. The town names are changed to that of sponsors, so Barrow-In-Furness becomes Birdseye-In-Furness in the book (perhaps Reading should become Waterstones!). The story has the quality of an old Ealing comedy and I could well imagine an old black and white film of this appearing one afternoon on BBC2. However, most Ealing comedies were really good, as is this story. The good folk of Barrow hit back at this imposition on their place of residence in an interesting manner. The story moves along with an almost comic pace, though it is laced with tragedy too. In view of the fact that many buildings and stadia are already named after corporate bodies, this book is also a warning as to what may well happen in the future. #legend100
June 1, 2016
Insidious dystopian fiction, that's what I would call this novel. It's set in the near future, but the reader doesn't realise this, because the events are all too real. One of my big fears in life is the power the big corporations wield over us, ordinary citizens. We may still think the government decides, but in my humble opinion, these days are long gone. Local governments have very little money to spend and often are willing to sacrifice their integrity to satisfy the community's daily needs. This book shows exactly what could happen if we don't watch our step. Lingua Franc doesn't just talk about language and the emotional meaning words can have for people, it also presents a vision of the nature of corporate hunger and their need to control our lives. We could only hope that there will be enough people left whose love of language and respect for real values will propel them into action when the time comes to choose internal happiness over superficial comfort. A thought provoking read.
May 19, 2016
An excellent read! I found the concept unpleasant - towns being renamed to brand names in exchange for sponsorship and hoped-for regeneration. At the start of the book, you share the confusion of Miles, the ex-teacher who created Lingua Franca, the company responsible for selling the renaming rights of towns who has been in an accident and awakes to find nurses who won't talk; the reason behind this gradually becomes clear and is even worse than the renaming, in my opinion.
I won't say much more as I don't want to risk any spoilers but I found the silence claustrophobic and felt a strong urge to talk to someone, anyone, whilst reading certain parts of the book!
A compelling read, by an author who clearly has a love of the English language, I haven't read Thacker's first novel but, after reading this second novel, I will have to get hold of a copy.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I won't say much more as I don't want to risk any spoilers but I found the silence claustrophobic and felt a strong urge to talk to someone, anyone, whilst reading certain parts of the book!
A compelling read, by an author who clearly has a love of the English language, I haven't read Thacker's first novel but, after reading this second novel, I will have to get hold of a copy.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2016
What is a name? What makes a name what it is? Who came up with the word dog for a dog? Or "moist"? Would you still love your hometown if it was called Walmart? Or Target?
Miles Platting works for Lingua Franca, an association that changes names to important brands / business partners. It's basically like a normal name rights agency but they want to be bigger and better!
He wakes up after being rescued. The hospital itself seems normal but no one is talking to him. Everything is written on a piece of paper while he tries to find out what happened to him and his friends. What happened to them? And why does everything think that silence is better than talking?
Absolutely adored this book! I just goes to show that the more you want the deeper you can fall.
Miles Platting works for Lingua Franca, an association that changes names to important brands / business partners. It's basically like a normal name rights agency but they want to be bigger and better!
He wakes up after being rescued. The hospital itself seems normal but no one is talking to him. Everything is written on a piece of paper while he tries to find out what happened to him and his friends. What happened to them? And why does everything think that silence is better than talking?
Absolutely adored this book! I just goes to show that the more you want the deeper you can fall.
May 31, 2016
3.5 stars.
A fun premise: Miles Platting has founded a company that finds corporate sponsorships for towns that have fallen on hard times. Some people, including his ex-wife, Kendal, with whom he would dearly like to be reunited, see this as a crass affront to tradition, to history, and to language itself.
I didn't really understand the criticism of Lingua Franca as destroying language, and I think I would have had more fun if I were familiar with the English towns (and corporate brands) mentioned throughout. Still, this was a pretty upbeat, slightly absurd, but ultimately fairly serious reflection on the nature of language and the power of naming.
I received a copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
A fun premise: Miles Platting has founded a company that finds corporate sponsorships for towns that have fallen on hard times. Some people, including his ex-wife, Kendal, with whom he would dearly like to be reunited, see this as a crass affront to tradition, to history, and to language itself.
I didn't really understand the criticism of Lingua Franca as destroying language, and I think I would have had more fun if I were familiar with the English towns (and corporate brands) mentioned throughout. Still, this was a pretty upbeat, slightly absurd, but ultimately fairly serious reflection on the nature of language and the power of naming.
I received a copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
May 15, 2016
It’s both an entertaining romp and a serious indictment of the way we live today, with rampant capitalism sucking the soul out of once-proud working class towns.
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